To reduce water waste and help keep trees healthy, Austin Water residential customers can check out a meter attachment for garden hoses and hose-end sprinklers to measure water usage. During the two-week check-out, we encourage you to time how long your equipment needs to run to apply the recommended amount of water.

Distressed trees (including those experiencing drought-related symptoms such as branches dying and leaves wilting, turning brown, or dropping early) should generally be watered once every two weeks. The amount of water needed depends on the tree’s diameter. Trees less than 20 inches in diameter should receive five gallons of water per inch of diameter. A 12 inch tree for example will need about 60 gallons of water (12 inches x 5 gallons). Trees greater than 20 inches in diameter should receive ten gallons of water per inch of diameter.

For information on signing out a hose meter, please call 974-2199. For more information on keeping your trees healthy, visit the City of Austin Arborist Program at www.cityofaustin.org/trees.

Soil Moisture Meters

Make the most of your outdoor watering with a FREE soil moisture meter from Austin Water. These simple devices measure the relative moisture of your soils so you can decide when and where to apply supplemental water (allowed any day and time with a hand-held hose or can). Click here to find out more.